Chapter 11 - Leather Dyes

Abstract

This chapter describes leather dyes. It covers the chemical constitutions and nomenclature of leather dyes, along with a summary of origin, use of leather, dyeing of leather, and key environmental issues. Leather dyers select dyes on the basis of hue, application and fastness properties, as well as for their tinctorial strength-cost factor. Most of these dyes are chosen from the huge textile dye ranges. Only a minority of the dyes used was designed only for leather, this includes modern fur dyes, which are entirely wool dyes. Leather manufacture today is subject to economic conditions such as high raw material prices and stringent environmental regulations. The available savings potential has, therefore, to be optimized, necessitating measures such as product mix optimization, efficient process technologies, and selection of efficient chemicals and optimal dyes. Tanning and dyeing are inseparably interlinked in leather processing. The process of tanning is the heart of leather making. It gives leather its own color to a certain degree, which will influence the final shade and its brilliance.